Abstract
It has been previously reported that following severe brain damage, a deficit of cellular immunity could be detected in the early phase after the occurence of the lesion. We report here the results of a cross-sectional study on long term effects of severe brain damage on immunological and neuro-endocrine changes in patients who recovered from prolonged coma caused by head injury. Results obtained from post-comatose (PC) patients were compared with those obtained from two control groups made up of spinal-cord injury (SCI) patients and healthy subjects, respectively. The following parameters were studied: lymphomonocyte subsets; interleukin 2 (IL-2) production; natural killer (NK) activity and serum levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). With respect to healthy controls the PC1 subgroup, i.e. patients examined 3-6 months after injury showed a statistically significant decrease in IL-2 production, NK activity and CD25+ lymphocytes. Similar immunological disturbances were observed in SCI but not in the PC2 subgroup, i.e. patients examined later than 6 months after injury. The same sub-group of PC1 patients showed high serum levels of cortisol and PRL. These results could be related to the immunological status and may be interpreted as a transient but prolonged condition of chronic stress or 'chronic alarm reaction'.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 151-158 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | European Journal of Neurology |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 1998 |
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Keywords
- Brain damage
- Immunosuppression
- Interleukin 2
- Neuroendocrine disorders
- NK activity
- Stress
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Immunological and endocrinological disturbances in patients after prolonged coma following head injury. / Formisano, R.; Grelli, S.; Matteucci, C.; Santilli, V.; Vinicola, V.; Scivoletto, G.; Castellano, V.; D'Agostini, C.; Mastino, A.; Favalli, C.
In: European Journal of Neurology, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1998, p. 151-158.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunological and endocrinological disturbances in patients after prolonged coma following head injury
AU - Formisano, R.
AU - Grelli, S.
AU - Matteucci, C.
AU - Santilli, V.
AU - Vinicola, V.
AU - Scivoletto, G.
AU - Castellano, V.
AU - D'Agostini, C.
AU - Mastino, A.
AU - Favalli, C.
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - It has been previously reported that following severe brain damage, a deficit of cellular immunity could be detected in the early phase after the occurence of the lesion. We report here the results of a cross-sectional study on long term effects of severe brain damage on immunological and neuro-endocrine changes in patients who recovered from prolonged coma caused by head injury. Results obtained from post-comatose (PC) patients were compared with those obtained from two control groups made up of spinal-cord injury (SCI) patients and healthy subjects, respectively. The following parameters were studied: lymphomonocyte subsets; interleukin 2 (IL-2) production; natural killer (NK) activity and serum levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). With respect to healthy controls the PC1 subgroup, i.e. patients examined 3-6 months after injury showed a statistically significant decrease in IL-2 production, NK activity and CD25+ lymphocytes. Similar immunological disturbances were observed in SCI but not in the PC2 subgroup, i.e. patients examined later than 6 months after injury. The same sub-group of PC1 patients showed high serum levels of cortisol and PRL. These results could be related to the immunological status and may be interpreted as a transient but prolonged condition of chronic stress or 'chronic alarm reaction'.
AB - It has been previously reported that following severe brain damage, a deficit of cellular immunity could be detected in the early phase after the occurence of the lesion. We report here the results of a cross-sectional study on long term effects of severe brain damage on immunological and neuro-endocrine changes in patients who recovered from prolonged coma caused by head injury. Results obtained from post-comatose (PC) patients were compared with those obtained from two control groups made up of spinal-cord injury (SCI) patients and healthy subjects, respectively. The following parameters were studied: lymphomonocyte subsets; interleukin 2 (IL-2) production; natural killer (NK) activity and serum levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). With respect to healthy controls the PC1 subgroup, i.e. patients examined 3-6 months after injury showed a statistically significant decrease in IL-2 production, NK activity and CD25+ lymphocytes. Similar immunological disturbances were observed in SCI but not in the PC2 subgroup, i.e. patients examined later than 6 months after injury. The same sub-group of PC1 patients showed high serum levels of cortisol and PRL. These results could be related to the immunological status and may be interpreted as a transient but prolonged condition of chronic stress or 'chronic alarm reaction'.
KW - Brain damage
KW - Immunosuppression
KW - Interleukin 2
KW - Neuroendocrine disorders
KW - NK activity
KW - Stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=6844260529&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=6844260529&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:6844260529
VL - 5
SP - 151
EP - 158
JO - European Journal of Neurology
JF - European Journal of Neurology
SN - 1351-5101
IS - 2
ER -